Another Attempt at Daffodils

I wasn't in love with my first attempt at painting PTI's daffodils the other day, so I thought I would try again with the technique that was shown to us on day 8 of Online Card Classes Watercolor class. This attempt feels much less overworked to me, so I am happier with it. I almost always make two cards at the same time and after I painted the background on one I decided to leave the second one without a background. I think I like it better.

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OCC More Day 8 Cards!

Ok, I admit it - I am totally in love with what I learned in day 8 of Online Card Classes Watercolor class! I can't stop making cards with the technique Tasnim Ahmed taught us! With this card I did learn that the paper can make a BIG difference. I decided to paint two roses at once. The one that I made the card with is on Fabriano Hot Press 140lb watercolor paper and I loved how it turned out. I am also going to show a picture of the other one, painted at the same time on Aqvarelle Arches 100% cotton 140 lb watercolor paper. I think it turned out awful (it actually looks better in the photo than in real life) and it is not like the paper was cheap paper. I have had it for years, but at the time I bought it, it was probably the most I had ever spent on a craft item! (I will say I later did a different watercolor technique that the Aqvarelle paper handled better than the Fabriano, but I havent had time to photograph it yet.)

The stamps are PTI and I painted with distress inks.

This one is much fuzzier looking and the ink settled into the paper very fast, so I couldn't push it around where I wanted it like in the first one.

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OCC Day 8 Homework

I have love, love, LOVED day 5 through 8 of Online Card Classes Watercolor for Cardmakers class!! I just want to keep trying these techniques over and over (seriously, who need to go to work!? It is messing with my painting time!!)

First I tried the technique shown to us by Tasnim Ahmed. Her painting was SO gorgeous!! I need a lot more practice (and I think it would help if I picked an image with bigger open areas next time) but I think it is not too bad for a first attempt.

I used Papertry Ink's Year of Flowers Lily of the Valley and the sentiment is from one of the Think Big Favorites sets. I painted with distress inks.

My second card follows the example of Dawn Woleslagle (I definitely need a lot of practice here!) Can I just say she is AMAZING?? I already LOVED her stamps (WPlus9) and am being blown away by her recent watercolor cards made with those stamps (both in class and on her blog!)

I used the stamp set Flora and Fauna 1 by WPlus9. The sentiment is from WP9's Fresh Cut Florals  and I painted with distress ink.

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OCC More Day 5 Cards

I am playing catch up with my homework from Online Card Classes Watercolor for Cardmakers class. I LOVED the technique shown to us by Swarup Murthy (Sanketi) and already did one card using it. I know it is going to be something I try again and again!! This is my second attempt.

I used stamps from Papertrey Ink (Year of Flowers Daffodils and the sentiment is from one of the Think Big Favorites). The paint was Windsor and Newton Cotman tube watercolors.

I also made two cards using the technique Shari Carol showed us on day 5. They are the same other than color scheme - I thought I would make one masculine and one feminine, but I think my "masculine" one is still a little feminine! Oh, well!

I used a Hero Arts background stamp and the Thanks die and stamp set from Simon Says Stamp. 

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Another Card for Day 3

I have been taking Online Card Classes Watercolor for Cardmakers class and I am loving it! I got a little behind on my "assignments" because of work but today I am playing catch up!! On day 3 I really loved what Kristina did with some scenery stamps from Art Impressions and I finally got a chance to try it!!

This is very different for me but was a lot of fun!!

OCC Watercolor Class Day 5

This is the day of class I was most looking forward to! I have recently discovered this wonderful blog (The Storyteller) and have been amazed at what she does with stamps and watercolor. Of course she was one of the instructors for today!! I was very excited to give this a try, but I definitely need to practice some more!

I used two stamp sets from WPlus9 (one for the flowers and one for the sentiment) and watercolors.

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OCC Watercolor Day 3

Day 3 (and 4) of Online Card Classes Watercolor class taught us a lot of techniques for watercolor stamping. This is my first attempt with one of the techniques - I can't wait until my days off so I can try some more!

I used watercolors for the background and Distress Inks with the My Favorite Things floral image. The sentiment is from PTI. 

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OCC Watercolor Day 1 Take 3

The 3rd technique we learned on Day 1 of Online Card Classes Watercolor class was how to use your acrylic blocks and distress ink to create a background. I struggled a lot with this one - I had a hard time getting my colors to blend together and not leave distinct lines between them.....

I made two versions. The second one has some splatters of glimmer mist added.

For both cards I used distress ink and a My Favorite Things stamp. The thanks die is from Simon Says Stamp and the Hello die is from WPlus9.

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OCC Watercolor Day 1 Take 2

The second technique we were shown on day 1 of Online Card Classes Watercolor class was how to use watercolors with your background stamps. I made two attempts at this, exactly the same except I used watercolors to paint one and distress inks to paint the other.

The first one is the distress ink card.

And this is the watercolored one.

Both cards are made with an Impression Obsession Cover a card background, a Simon Says Stamp die and a Martha Stewart balloon punch.

Online Card Classes Watercolor Day 1 Take 1

Well, I am taking an Online Card Class again (Love them!!) and so I am blogging to share what I have done :) On day one we were shown 3 techniques and this is my attempt at the first one, using stencils with watercolor. I am really thrilled with how this turned out!!

I used watercolors, a Heidi Swapp stencil, Avery Elle die, WPlus9 sentiment and My Minds Eye enamel dots.

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OCC CAS3 Day 7 Take 2

Day 7 of Online Card Classes Clean and Simple 3 had me so inpired I had to try a second technique!! This one involved tracing an image with a gold pen and then coloring it in. I love how this looks even with my drying out pen! (I had to run to my local Micheals the next day to get a new pen and I am anxious to try this again with a pen that is more cooperative!!)

The main image is a new Papertrey Ink set that I just got and I think the sentiment is Hero Arts?

Thanks for looking!

OCC CAS3 Day 7 - Coloring

Hello! I finally got a chance to try my hand at one of the techniques shown on day 7 of Online Card Classes Clean and Simple 3 class. This is a card I want to try my hand at doing again - I am not happy with the space between the die cut word and the die cut hearts. I tried to fill it with some gold foil hearts, but I still know the spacing is off. Sigh. But it was a very fun technique!

The Love die and sentiment are from Avery Elle, the Heart strip die is from Lil Inker, and the individual gold foil hearts were cut using the confetti die from Mama Elephant.

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Online Card Classes CAS3 Day 5

Well, Day 5 of Online Card Classes Clean and Simple 3 was all about bringing backgrounds into the foreground. I was particularly inspired by the lesson on iron off embossing and created 2 cards using the technique. I also had an excuse to grab my Twinkling H2O's out of the "garage sale" pile!! I'm glad I hadn't gotten rid of them yet!!

For the first card I used the My Favorite Things stamp set Peaceful Wildflowers. The sentiment is from PTI's Mini Blooms.  

My second card uses Stampin Up's Just Believe and PTI's Mini Blooms for the sentiment again. I made the first card using regular card stock so was able to make it a one layer card but I used watercolor paper for the second and it worked best as a panel.

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Online Card Class CAS 3 Day 3

I have another card that is inspired by the class I am taking at Online Card Classes - Clean and Simple 3. Day 3 was all about optical illusions and I was inspired by the lessons on masking and stamp layering to make this card. I actually used a technique in the middle of the card that was shown to us on day 5 - iron off embossing - but I made this card before watching that lesson (just, once again, I am slooow to post!) I will have another card using the day 5 technique to come. In fact I am super excited that I am going to spend my day off playing with ink and stamps and that is on my to do list!!

I used stamps from Lil' Inker - Shiny Happy Sentiments, and Lawn Fawn - Starry Backgrounds and distress inks (plus some clear embossing) to make this card!

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Online Card Classes CAS 3 Day 1

I am taking another card class through Online Card Classes - Clean and Simple 3 - and am loving it!! I am especially happy that they have given us more days between each lesson to get caught up, because I am obviously VERY slow to post anything I make!! I have actually made hundreds of cards since my last blog post, and just not gotten around to posting them.....

This is the card that I made after being inspired by the first days lessons. I know it is not really in the CAS style and I did work on that for my day 2 card, but I thought it would still be good to show what I was inspired to make. Everything is inlaid and completely flat except where the green strip meets the main panel. 

I used the Papertrey Ink stamp sets Mighty Oak and Hello Foxy, the Mighty Oak Coverplate, and a Birthday die. The inks are Linen Distress ink, Delicata Gold, and a mix of greens and brown from Fresh Ink, A Muse, and Memento Luxe. I think the green paper is some old Stampin Up - maybe Handsome Hunter?

Thanks for looking!

Card Class Week 3 Color Combo

Hello! This weeks color challenge at Online Card Classes Summer Card Camp 2 was a doozy. It was SO not in my comfort zone! I almost decided to skip it, but went ahead and gave it a shot. I have surprised myself by actually liking it! Who'd a thought!? I also used the 1st sketch for the week. I usually post a picture of the sketch or colors but I am not sure what the rules are about that since it is a class instead of a challenge....

I tried the flowers using only the purples and then using blue, light purple and darker pinkish purple and I couldn't decide which I liked better so I just made basically the same card with each of them!

The Details:

Stamps: PTI The Sweet Life and Think Big Favorites #4

Paper: PTI White, Dark Chocolate, SU Kraft

Ink: PTI Classic Kraft, SU Baja Breeze, Lavender Lace, Purely Pomegranate, Soft Suede, Versamark

Misc: SU Linen Thread, PTI The Sweet Life Dies, SU White Embossing Powder

The Details:

Stamps: PTI The Sweet Life, SSS Banner Sayings

Paper: PTI White, Dark Chocolate, SU Kraft

Ink: PTI Classic Kraft, SU Baja Breeze, Lavender Lace, Purely Pomegranate, Soft Suede, Versamark

Misc: SU Linen Thread, PTI The Sweet Life Dies, SU White Embossing Powder

Thanks for vising today!

A (Almost) Catch Up On My Homework

Hiya!! I got to play a little bit this weekend and I made some cards using the Online Summer Card Class that I am taking as inspiration. I have four cards to share, each using either a sketch or color combo (or sometimes both) from the card class.

The first card I made uses the 2nd sketch from week one. I did not use any of the color challenges from the class on this one because I had some paper I bought a while back that I really wanted to use to make some slightly fall themed cards for Operation Write Home. The leaves on the embellishment are cut from the DP and covered with Glossy Accents.

Details:
Stamp: PTI On the Farm
Paper: PTI Vintage Cream, DP purchased a while back from Micheals (possibly Recollections brand?)
Ink: SU Early Espresso, Distress Ink Walnut Stain
Misc: Various SU Circle Punches, SU linen thread

For my second card I used the week 2 color combo and the week 2 sketch 2 (very liberally, and turned on it's side). I left the front blank because this one is also for Operation Write Home and I thought if it was blank it could be used to say "hello" to a child or maybe be a birthday card....

Details:
Stamp: Lawn Fawn Critters in the Burbs, Hero Arts Square Pattern Background
Paper: SU Kiwi Kiss, Baja Breeze
Ink: SU Lucky Limeade, Memento Tuxedo Black, colored with Copics
Misc: PTI die Cloud 1 & 2


I think my 3rd card is my favorite, and it only uses the 3rd sketch from week 2. I really intended to do more with the color challenges, but I desperately wanted to use this paper (I have had it for over 6 months and for some reason I HAD to use it now!!) It is from the same paper pad as the first card.

Details:
Stamp: None
Paper: PTI White, SU Basic Black, DP from Micheal's (possibly Recollections)
Ink: Distress Ink Walnut Stain
Misc: SU Circle Punches, Lil Inker Die - Circle and Diamond Stitched Pattern, PTI die - Counting My Blessings

My final card uses the color combo from week 2 again, but no sketch.

Details:
Stamp: Lil Inker Darling Diamonds
Paper: SU Baja Breeze, Very Vanilla
Ink: SU Baja Breeze, Kiwi Kiss, Lucky Limeade, Chocolate Chip
Misc: Lil Inker Die - Circle and Diamond Stitched Pattern

Thanks for stopping by!

Summer Card Camp Day1 (For the New Neighbors)

Even though I have had little to no time to stamp lately, I signed up for Online Card Classes Summer Card Camp 2. I knew there was a chance I wouldn't get any of the assignments done until well after class had ended, but I still couldn't resist. I have really enjoyed each of the classes I have taken there! And, hey, I am only 3 days behind on doing the 1st day's assignment! Good job, me!!

This card was made using one of the Day 1 sketches and the 1st color challenge. I just got new neighbors and I am determined to at least know their names, so I have made a card and made a little trip to a local farmer's stand. I think fresh corn is a good "Welcome to Nebraska" gift (and I got them a watermelon, too! The samples were too tasty!)

For my card I used:

Stamps: Blanket Stitched Blooms (WPlus9), Sentiment from Winter Hills (Papertrey Ink)
Ink: Bermuda Bay, Strawberry Slush, Pumpkin Pie, Daffodil Delight (all Stampin Up), and Versafine Onyx Black
Paper: Sweet Girl (Echo Park), PTI White Cardstock
Misc: Inkssentials Enamel Accents, Copic Multiliner